Sergio Vieira de Mello Award

Through his long career at the UN, Sergio Vieira de Mello was always deeply involved with humanitarian issues and a strong supporter of those working to achieve peace in conflicts in all war situations around the globe, from Kosovo to the Great Lakes, from East Timor to Bosnia.

It is in his memory and to perpetuate his ideal that the Foundation has decided to attribute every two years an award to draw world attention to the unnoticed efforts made by an individual, group or an organization having done something special and unique to reconcile people and parties in conflict.

Calls for submission of nominations of awardees are announced on this website. The selection of the winning candidate is made by an independent jury of the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation.

Request for nominations for the 2017 Award

Criteria for Selecting Candidates

The Award is conferred on an individual(s), a group or an organization based on a number of selection criteria. These include:

The candidates are authentic verifiable community-based entities operating in areas of conflict and as such could be refugees, internally displaced persons or persons affected by conflict.

Achievements for which candidates are selected are innovative and unique, and affect the lives and well-being of a substantive segment of the community positively by promoting reconciliation and dialogue between opposing communities.

A high probability that the initiative can be sustained and replicated in similar communities elsewhere.

Reconciliation and Co-existence resulting from the initiative is measurable, verifiable and sustainable

Each nominee should have at least two sponsors who could be contacted if needed.

Nominations for the 2017 award should reach the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation before 31 March 2017 either by e-mail at: info@sergiovdmfoundation.org, by post or using the following form.

The selection of the winning candidate is made by an independent Jury of the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation.

Support material is welcome, however any documentation attached to the nomination form should be copies as none will be returned.

Should the candidate reach the final stage of the selection procedure, the SVdM Foundation may request further information and documentation concerning candidates, and reserves the right to make the names of the short-listed candidates public.